Roger S. Davis, 78 of Panama City, Panama, a true original and the source of laughter and joy for almost everyone who knew him, passed away peacefully on April 2, 2024, in Panama City after a series of medical issues.
Born and raised in Providence, Roger spent summers in Little Compton. Roger and his older brother John grew up playing hockey in one of the state’s early youth hockey programs, organized by their father Foster (Pete) Davis, skating on an outdoor ice rink at the Seekonk Speedway. Roger attended Moses Brown and Hope High, where he flashed his life-long athletic ability by starring as the high scoring top line center on the hockey team.
After working his way around the world as a GO at different Club Meds, Roger settled in Maui, Hawaii, where he lived for roughly 40 years. Roger held a wide variety of jobs, from running a charter catamaran business to staffing an art gallery, and knew everyone. His many stateside friends and even not so close acquaintances who visited Maui experienced time and again his warm welcome and willingness go out of his way to show friends and strangers what Maui was really all about. Roger always remained close to Boston sports teams and several outstanding pro athletes beat a regular path to Roger’s door in Maui for R&R after their seasons ended.
Roger was a surfer long before surfing became a “thing” and some of his deepest relationships on Maui were with the surfing community. Roger’s wonderful former long-time girlfriend Katie Jo Sheppard organized a very moving paddle-out ceremony in memory of Roger in June, where the community honored and remembered Roger.
Roger was the son of the late Foster and Sylvia Davis and is survived by his brother John Davis, of Providence, and first cousins Dimity Davis Reiss and Geoffrey Davis, of Bristol, RI. A gathering of Roger’s New England family and friends to celebrate and remember Roger will be held Saturday, September 28 from 1-3 pm at the Lobster Pot Restaurant in Bristol.
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